NA speaker asked not to issue production order for Saad

ISLAMABAD: The Judicial Activism Panel has written a letter to National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, requesting him not to issue a production order for PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique to enable him to attend the session of the lower house of Parliament.

The lawyers’ panel also forwarded a copy of the letter to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The panel’s head contended in the letter that an accused facing a probe can’t be presented in the National Assembly. He said opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif’s production order too was issued illegally, adding that now efforts are being made to ensure Saad Rafique’s appearance in the NA session by way of production order.

The panel warned if the speaker failed to take any action in this regard, it would go to a relevant court for redressal of the grievance.

Earlier this week, an accountability court in Lahore remanded Mr Rafique in NAB custody in a case related to the Paragon Housing Society scam.

Yesterday, the opposition in the NA staged a walkout from the lower house of Parliament in protest against non-issuance of a production order for the PML-N leader. As a result, the assembly session had to be adjourned till Monday.

Shehbaz Sharif pleaded with the Speaker to issue a production order for the detained leader of his party.

Pakistan Peoples Party lawmaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf also aired concerns over the issue and hoped that the production order for the former railways minister would be issued soon.

To this, NA speaker Asad Qaiser said that he would consult with law experts on the matter.